Expeditions Dataset

The expeditions/ dataset provides the spatial and operational backbone of the Pristine Seas Science Database. It registers each expedition and the associated fieldwork—tracking where, when, and how different survey methods were used across the globe.

All other datasets link back to this spatial framework, enabling consistent integration, filtering, and analysis across expeditions, regions, and methods.

Tables

Metadata (expeditions.info)

This table contains metadata for every scientific expedition conducted by the Pristine Seas team. Each row defines a unique field campaign—its country, region, vessel, leadership, dates, and collaborators.

Table 1: expeditions.info Table Schema

Field	Type	Required	Description
exp_id	STRING	true	Unique expedition identifier in the format ISO3_YEAR (e.g., FJI_2025)
number	INTEGER	true	Sequential expedition number (e.g., 43)
name	STRING	true	Official or working expedition name
country	STRING	true	Primary country or jurisdiction visited
start_date	DATE	true	Expedition start date in ISO 8601 format (YYYY-MM-DD)
end_date	DATE	true	Expedition end date in ISO 8601 format (YYYY-MM-DD)
lead	STRING	true	Overall expedition lead
science_lead	STRING	true	Lead scientist for the research campaign
vessel	STRING	false	Name of the vessel or platform used
ship_track	STRING	false	WKT LINESTRING representing the ship’s route (optional)
partners	STRING	false	Institutional collaborators (optional)
description	STRING	false	Brief description of expedition goals and scope
notes	STRING	false	Optional free-text notes or admin metadata

Since 2009, Pristine Seas has conducted 47 expeditions across 30 countries and territories, spanning tropical reefs, polar seas, deep trenches, and remote archipelagos.

Figure 1: Timeline of expeditions

Sites (expeditions.sites)

This table defines the primary spatial unit for fieldwork. A site represents a distinct instance where a survey method (e.g., UVS, pBRUV, eDNA) was applied at a specific location and time during an expedition.

While method-specific datasets (e.g., uvs.sites, sub.sites) manage their own site records, the shared expeditions.sites table acts as the central reference for joining across methods, mapping, and spatial summaries.

What is a site?

A site is defined by a unique combination of exp_id, method, and a 3-digit site number
(e.g., FJI_2025_uvs_001)

• Represents one field survey event using a given method.
  
• May contain multiple stations representing depth strata or replicates

Examples:

• A UVS site may include fish and benthic surveys across several depth zones
• A pBRUV site consists of a 5-rig open-ocean camera deployment
• A submersible site corresponds to a single dive with multiple transects

Sites are the parent unit of stations and serve as the core spatial key for integration across methods.

Table 2: expeditions.sites Table Schema

Field	Type	Required	Description
ps_site_id	STRING	true	Unique site ID (exp_id_method_###), e.g., FJI_2025_uvs_001
exp_id	STRING	true	Foreign key to expeditions.info
method	STRING	true	Field method used (e.g., uvs, pbruv, edna, sub)
region	STRING	true	Broad geographic or administrative unit (e.g., Murat, Chocó, Tuamotu, Duff Islands).
subregion	STRING	true	Intermediate feature within the region such as an atoll, island, gulf, or reef complex
locality	STRING	false	Local named feature such as a village, bay, cove, reef (e.g., Lolieng, Ensenada Utría).
date	DATE	true	Date of the site-level deployment in ISO 8601 format (YYYY-MM-DD)
time	TIME	true	Local time of the deployment in 24-hour format (HH:MM:SS)
latitude	FLOAT	true	Approximate latitude (decimal degrees, WGS84)
longitude	FLOAT	true	Approximate longitude (decimal degrees, WGS84)
lead	STRING	true	Name of the lead scientist or survey team lead
notes	STRING	false	Optional comments, metadata, or field observations